Helmets: 

With a vast array on the market, and so many different styles to choose from, choosing a climbing helmet can be tricky. As is with buying climbing kit, there’s always more to it than you think. 

To simplify things you’ve gotta ask yourself what sort of climbing will you predominantly be doing? General cragging, sport or multi pitch trad climbing, high altitude mountaineering or big walling? Whatever your chosen preferences then getting one that suits you is the key. If your not sure which way your climbing path will take you then a ‘middle of the road’ helmet could be the way to go. 

In a nutshell (protecting your nut! Haha) There are several different types. Foam, shell/Hybrid.

I’m not going to get bogged down into the nitty gritty, just the main important facts. 

Foam

Great light weight option that’s good for single pitch and sport climbing. Big on ventilation and now – Petzl for example – There they are again. Not getting any support from them btw. But they now have rated side protection helmets. Whereas in the past this part of the helmet was often overlooked, but key as you can twang your head at the side just as easily as you can from the front/top. Look for the ‘side pro’ sticker/logo. My current helmet doesn’t have this feature so don’t get too hung up about it, but going forward I will be looking for it when choosing my helmet/s. 

Petzl Sirocco – https://www.petzl.com/INT/en/Sport/Helmets/SIROCCO

Shell/Hybrid

An ‘all rounder’ trad, multi sport etc. These give two levels of defence – plastic elastic adsorption in the shell, followed by foam deformation underneath. They’re not as light weight as the above, and a key thing to look for is the amount of foam underneath and how much of the helmet it covers. 

Petzl Meteor – Multi discipline use – climb, bike and now ski! 

https://www.petzl.com/INT/en/Sport/Helmets/METEOR 

Petzl Meteora – Womens specific helmet – 

https://www.petzl.com/INT/en/Sport/Helmets/METEORA 

Black Diamond – https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_GB/product/half-dome-helmet-mens/ 

There are also work at height helmets –  A strong type of helmet, used for working at height and for big mountain routes. These helmets are tough and can withstand hefty blows. So great for transportation and a helmet you can throw around a bit more. They’re nowhere as lightweight as the other helmets mentioned. 

Petzl Vertex – https://www.petzl.com/GB/en/Professional/Helmets/VERTEX-VENT

Belay Devices:

Here we go. How do I condense this down?! I’ll break it down into:

1. Standard belay devices
2. More technical belay devices
3. Auto block belay devices

Standard belay devices – when I first started climbing I use to use a carabiner and a spring plate belay device like in the picture shown. This basically created friction and stopped the spring disappearing up the rope as it was attached with some cord. Nowadays these are not used and climbing kit/belay devices have moved on. So much so there’s a new device/s coming out every year. 

1. Standard belay device

Simple, does the job and no faff. These get the job done without some of the technicalities some other belay devices use. Great for all comers, beginners especially through to seasoned pros. Most now have two x slots, for yes you guessed it…two ropes. A good thing to consider is a belay device that has a plastic sheath that goes across the back bar of the carabiner and the locking screw gate. This makes sure that you lock and load your carabiner prior to belaying. And stops the carabiner ‘cross loading’ Basically turning on it’s side. The DMM Ceros – also shown in the pictures below – has a captive bar and helps stop the cross loading too. Both are excellent pieces of kit for belaying anybody anywhere. 

Examples:

Black Diamond: https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_GB/product/big-air-xp-package/

Petzl: https://www.petzl.com/INT/en/Sport/Belay-Devices-And-Descenders/VERSO

2. More technical belay devices

A bit more faff and I often get people turning up with them having been up sold them in the shop not having a clue what the bit sticking out of the back is for, let alone how to use it. Usually these devices have and look the same as the standard belay devices, but have an additional slot for bringing one or two people up in guide mode. Which for some means letting go of the dead rope, and having a sarnie! If your guiding folk, or taking people multi pitch climbing they are real useful. They can be used for other rescue scenarios but lets not get into that here.

Petzl: https://www.petzl.com/INT/en/Sport/Belay-Devices-And-Descenders/REVERSO

Wild Country: https://www.wildcountry.com/en-gb/pro-guide-lite-belay-40-PROGUIDLT?sku=40-PROGUIDLT_0000000006

3. Auto block belay devices

I think for beginners and experienced people like, these are a great device to own when sport climbing, and even trad climbing. Basically they help you out with a fall/catch. What more isn’t there to like about that? But often they require a special./different kind of handling that the standard belay devices.

This is where climbing kit has gone mad over the last decade! What these devices do or supposed to do, is help you catch a climber when he or she falls easier, as they semi or fully lock up automatically when the climber falls off. The most common and best device for SPORT climbing (highlighted because we don’t really use them for traditional climbing because they are a sudden impact onto the rope and equipment) whereas in sport climbing we climb on bolts and that’s fine. This device is the GriGri. There are many different incarnations now and will not get into the technicalities and differences here. There are many sites offering that explanation.

This is a big topic and I’m going to try and keep it short, but I use the Edelrid Giga jul especially when I am guiding and there’s often a novice hand on my climbing rope. So in the event of myself falling, I like to do the upmost to make sure that I will be held obviously! This device ‘creeps’ a little on impact, thus reducing the impact force on the gear. For our sport climbing retreats I will be bringing a few of these to get use to and try. A note to remember is that often with these devices, not all, but a specific carabiner must be used to get proper/best results or is a safety pre requisite when using some of these auto block devices.

I’m yet to try it but I hear the new and all round Climbing Technology click up Alpine – link attached – is very good, and is multi discipline. Here: https://www.climbingtechnology.com/en/outdoor-en/belay-devices/manual-braking/alpine-up

Petzl GriGri: https://www.petzl.com/INT/en/Sport/Belay-Devices-And-Descenders/GRIGRI

Edelrid Mega Jul: https://edelrid.com/gb-en/sport/belay-devices/giga-jul?variant=571567

CT Click up: https://www.climbingtechnology.com/en/outdoor-en/belay-devices/manual-braking/click-up-plus

Climbing Shoes:

The most important rule here, is get one that is comfortable to wear for at least 2 climbs, if not all day! Remember when we are sport climbing we often wait to the last minute before putting the shoes on. This is to let our feet be comfortable whilst belaying or watching. This gives us better traction on the ground for belaying the climber. After all climbing shoes are not good on grass, mud and slippy rock! 

Comfort! 

So what makes a climbing shoe comfy? As with is buying all climbing kit, it’s about making sure the shoe you buy isn’t too specialist. There are many shoes on the market now, and some dedicated to just climbing walls, bouldering, pockets, edging and so on. I have put a few recommendations below, but if it’s still confusing what I would definitely recommend is trying a few brands on. This way because your ‘street shoe’ size is maybe a 9, in La Sportive say for example you could well be a UK 11! It all depends. Once you like the look of a shoe (all about the look right?!) Then try that brand on and get the size and go from there. After that you can look in the sales, Black Friday coming up at time of writing. Or you can go on Vinted (my last 3 pairs) and scoop up a deal! People buy things and often don’t use them, which is great for you the buyer. 

Velcro or lace?

This is personal preference. For me I have both – but it is my job. And therefore I like velcro for quicker on and off bouldering, sport etc. And a lace for all day/trad. With velcro shoes they often ‘give’ a bit more so that could be a consideration. 

Below is a list of ‘all day’ shoes – This is by no means a full and complete list but should give you some idea of what your looking for. 

All day shoes:

La Sportiva – Mythos – Mens/Womens 

Tenaya Masai

5:10 – Grandstones

La Sportiva – TC Pro

Scarpa – Reflex

La Sportiva – Finale 

Climb X – Ascent 

So if you compare some of the above shoes with the shoes listed below, you’ll see that they look different. The shoes below are often shaped differently. Some examples include: A down turned toe. Narrower toe box. Tight heel cup – The rear of the shoe. An arched midsole/asymmetrical shape. With these shoes you may want something that you can feel smaller edges with, or use to heel hook rock features. Yes you could do that with the above, but as you climb through the grades this is something you may want to get if climbing hooks you! No pun intended…